Name
Richard G. Watson
Born
1922-Jan-30
e-mail
____________________________________________________________
Date
Service
Unit
1942-Jun-01
USN
VP-44 (#2)
1944-Jan-10
USN
VPB-44
1945-Jan-01
Civilian
__________________
Date
Rate
1942-Jun-01
AMM2c
Citation
Date
Post
Action
1942-Jun-01
_____________________
Flight. Attacked by twin-engine land-based Japanese bomber (used bombs!).
1942-Jun-01
_____________________
Flight: 12.6 hours. "Hit by Japanese Twin Engine Bomber off Wake Is., several injuries".

Patrolled within sector 200d to 020d, 700 miles out from Midway.

At 0940, a twin-engine Japanese bomber made a surprise attack from the port quarter. Only the PBY's bow gun was able to return fire on that pass. The bomber then got above the PBY and dropped its bombs, but all missed. During the next 11 passes, the bomber discovered the PBY's port .50-caliber had malfunctioned and began to attack from that side. The PBY's crew moved the .30-caliber tunnel gun into the port blister and returned fire. The bomber broke off after the 12th pass and PPC Lyons escaped into cloud cover. The PBY had fired approximately 300 rounds. Sea2c Grove, who volunteered as a gunner for this patrol, received a minor shrapnel wound in the stomach when a 7.7mm round from the bomber hit and exploded the CO2 bottle in his life vest.
1943-Apr-07
_____________________
Attacked by Mitsubishi T-96. Returned fire. Holed in cockpit, wing, and tail.
Publication
Page
Log Book: Hanthorn, George W. (plane only)
021
029,088
091
Biography